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Aug 19, 2016DorisWaggoner rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
This stark, but lush novel of Edith, living in the isolated bush of SW Australia, visited by her English archaeologist cousin and his Armenian driver, with whom she falls in love. Unaware of her pregnancy, and of looming war, she sets off to find him. When WW II erupts, she's trapped behind enemy lines, and raises Jim as Dmitry, with Armenian as his first language. She gets lots of help, but is never sure whether she's being followed. This first novel was nominated for Australia's prestigious prizes. Edith learns of Aram's death, but her cousin reappears, and helps her get out of the USSR. She's learned what will become her life work, and falls in love with her cousin, who promises to come to Australia for her, but can't fulfill that promise. Jim can't settle in his native country, but they ultimately find a way of living there that suits them both. Highly satisfactory.